Abuja — The Nigeria’s Governors Forum, NGF, has pledged to promote electoral integrity and ensures that government delivered on its promises to Nigerians.
Chairman of the NGF and governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, stated this when he received the leadership of Inter-Party Adivosry Council, IPAC, led by its National Chairman, Engr. Yabagi Sani, in Abuja.
This is even as IPAC solicited the collaboration of the 36 governors in the establishment of African Democratic Institute, ADI, in Abuja.
Welcoming his guests at the NGF headquarters in Abuja, Governor Fayemi said: “I’m sure you know that though governors are products of political parties, the Nigeria Governors Forum is not a partisan association.
“We are not driven by the agenda of any political party, but more by the interest of the state that we govern and our interests as association of governors.
“So, my primary responsibility in this role that they have elected me is really to promote, defend and protect the interest of the office. So, receiving IPAC falls within that purview of our organisation, the Nigeria Governors Forum.
I’m happy you are interested in using IPAC as a vehicle for institutional deepening of our democratic project. You talked about establishing an institute in Abuja for training, research and promoting the values of democracy in Nigeria.
“In a number of areas, focusing on government, the Nigerian Governors Forum, as a body provides a whole range of research system to institutions as well, though we have not done any work on political parties’ training or party development, but listening to you, I don’t think we are averse to supporting such initiatives, as long as it is not one sided, or driven by any political agenda.
“If it is broadly speaking, focusing on deepening the democratic project, stemming the reversal that we have seen in some countries, particularly in our sub-region, we will do all we can do to ensure democracy thrives in our climes.
‘We must do all we can in that respect, to promote electoral integrity, to also ensure that government delivers on its promises to Nigerians, and these are principles that I think you had espoused in your presentation.
“Once you are in this club, we don’t see you as belonging to a political party but as a member of the NGF. We basically promote and protect democracy and we do that in individual states and also in our collective commitment to democracy.
“We will do our best as a body to support IPAC to deliver in its tasks. We know that this is a crucial and penultimate year to the pre-election year, you have been acting in a couple of states like mine and IPAC will have a lot of role to play.”
Speaking earlier, the IPAC Chairman, Engr. Sani, said the meeting could be regarded as one between two critical associations or, pressure groups working towards the common goal of growth and deepening of the culture and practice of democratic governance in the country.
He described IPAC as a congregation of all the registered political parties that promote harmony and amity among the political parties and all the arms of government and democratic institutions.
“The synergy between the NGF and IPAC should, therefore, be seen as an effective mechanism for the enhancement and actualization of their mutual goals of strengthening the roots of enduring democracy in our society.
“Our collective striving for the survival of democracy is a heroic endeavour against the backdrop of our history that is replete with the sad experiences of truncated Republic, with attendant incursions and dictatorships of military regimes.
“It is instructive that even as we have come on the road of democracy for an unprecedented period of 23 years, all hands must yet be on deck. We should not rest on our oars by taking it for granted that we have crossed the Jordan River and we cannot, therefore, go back to the old road that we traversed.
“In other words, vigilance and relentless efforts must be continuously exerted by the present generation of Nigerians who have a generational responsibility of being pioneers and builders of democracy.”